Internal washing provisions for food process line machines

ABSTRACT

Food process-line coating apparatus for coating a stream of food product in a food process line are provided with the improvement of a permanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and a plurality cleaning-fluid distribution devices. The cleaning-fluid distribution devices are any of a rotary spray head, a spherical spray nozzle, a rotary frame or a tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold. The rotary spray head optionally has a multitude of flat spray nozzles mounted along the arms. The spherical spray nozzle might be mounted on a columnar base, and a plurality of those might stand like pickets and aimed a laterally-extending target, like a conveyor belt&#39;s nose roller. The rotary frame might have a spaced pair of parallel manifold tubes that rotate about a common axis. The tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold preferably has a multitude of ports or nozzles distributed at spaced locations on its outer sidewall.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/866,124, filed Jun. 25, 2019.

This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/940,003, filed Mar. 29, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No.10,889,444; which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/478,822, filed Mar. 30, 2017; U.S. Provisional Application No.62/545,634, filed Aug. 15, 2017; U.S. Provisional Application No.62/560,392, filed Sep. 19, 2017; U.S. Provisional Application No.62/577,375, filed Oct. 26, 2017; and U.S. Provisional Application No.62/648,613, filed Mar. 27, 2018.

The foregoing patent disclosure(s) is(are) incorporated herein by thisreference thereto.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to automatic and/or mechanizedfood-process line equipment and, more particularly, to internal washingprovisions for such food process line machines.

A number of additional features and objects will be apparent inconnection with the following discussion of preferred embodiments andexamples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

There are shown in the drawings certain exemplary embodiments of theinvention as presently preferred. It should be understood that theinvention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed as examples, andis capable of variation within the scope of the skills of a personhaving ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. In thedrawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of mechanized food-process line equipmentarranged in a working food process line and furnished with internalwashing provisions in accordance with the invention for food processline machines of which this illustrated one is a non-limiting example ofsuch machines;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view comparable to FIG. 1, perhaps of a slightlydifferent model of dry-particulate coating apparatus, and also being adiffering view by showing the hoods and/or various panels opened-up (ordeployed open) for cleaning operations;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a given model of dry-particulate coatingapparatus which will be shown consistently among FIGS. 5 through 13, andwhich view is looking in through the intake end for food-product pieces,along the central axis of this coating machine, as well as from a planeabove the food-product carrying upper run of the intake conveyor, withthe hood opened up, and showing a rotary spray head in accordance withthe invention which might optionally be provisioned with a multitude offlat spray nozzles mounted along the arms from hub to the outboard endsthereof;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the upper rotary spray head in FIG. 5shown during a washing operation, wherein this vantage point is to oneside of the coating apparatus;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view showing (1) not only a spherical spraynozzle in accordance with the invention mounted in a fixed position onan interior sidewall of the coating apparatus, (2) but also a rotaryframe of two spaced parallel manifold tubes in accordance with theinvention that rotate about a common axis between the two manifoldtubes;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a rotary frame comparable to FIG. 7 andwhich has two spaced parallel manifold tubes that rotate about a commonaxis between the two, shown during a wash operation;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifoldin accordance with the invention with multiple ports or nozzlesdistributed at spaced locations on its outer sidewall (eg., skin), andas shown during (or perhaps just after) a wash operation;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view comparable to FIG. 9 and showing thetubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold in accordance with the inventionwith multiple ports or nozzles distributed at spaced locations on itsouter sidewall (eg., skin), and as definitely shown during a washoperation;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a series of columnar pickets inaccordance with the invention, and each columnar picket carrying aspherical spray nozzle in accordance with the invention like in FIG. 7,which spherical spray nozzle might optionally have flat-spray aperturesand/or be rotary or oscillating;

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a spherical spray nozzle in accordancewith the invention like in FIGS. 7 and 11, mounted in an interiorsidewall of the coating apparatus above either the food-product carryingupper run of the outflow conveyor, and which spherical spray nozzlemight optionally have flat-spray apertures and/or be rotary oroscillating; and

FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a spherical spray nozzle in accordancewith the invention like in FIGS. 7, 11 and 12, mounted in an interiorsidewall of the coating apparatus above an elevator conveyor in thecoating material recirculation system which flanks the upperfood-product carrying run of the intake conveyor, and which sphericalspray nozzle might optionally have flat-spray apertures and/or be rotaryor oscillating.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 through 4 show a series 100 of mechanized food-process lineequipment 204, 102′ and 206 arranged in such a working food process line100 and furnished with internal washing provisions 110 in accordancewith the invention for the food process line machines 102 in accordancewith the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a series 100 of food process line machines 204, 102′ and206 configured in a non-limiting example of a working food process line100. The floor 112 of the plant 114 has cleaning-fluid supply lines 116below the ground 118 level of the plant 114, with spaced provisions 122to hook-up hose 124 or other suitable conduits 124 between the cleaningfluid supply 126 and a particular machine 204, 102′ or 206.

FIG. 2 shows machine 102′, this perhaps being a coating machine for adry-coating material 108 such as seasoned flour, or spices, or Pankocrumb and so on. The machine 102′ is opened up for cleaning operations.The machine 102′ opens itself upon a given control 128 instruction. Aworker (not shown) has taken a flexible hose 124 and coupled the machine102′ to the machine's internal cleaning-fluid circuit 130 with thein-ground cleaning-fluid supply lines 116.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a representation of the internal cleaning-fluidcircuit 130 of machine 102′, albeit schematically. An array of jetnozzles 134 are permanently retained within the machine 102′, in boththe opened up state as shown by FIG. 2, or the closed state foroperation as shown by FIG. 1. The nozzles 134 are strategically aimedand agitated to accomplish targeted cleaning without the variance ofhuman operators. Again, FIG. 4 shows that preferably, the nozzles 134are not static but can be driven in some motion.

FIGS. 5-13 comprise a series of views showing the strategic distributionof spraying provisions 140 within a given model of dry-particulatecoating apparatus 102, which machine 102 is the same machine 102 amongFIGS. 5 through 13 and will be shown consistently among FIGS. 5 through13.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view through the intake end 202 of the machine102, along the central axis of this coating machine 102, and from aplane above the food-product carrying upper run 212 of the intakeconveyor 212, with the hood 148 opened up, and showing a rotary sprayhead 152 in accordance with the invention which might optionally beprovisioned with a multitude of flat spray nozzles 154 mounted along thearms 156 from hub 158 to the outboard ends 162 thereof.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the rotary spray head 152 in FIG. 5 shownduring a washing operation, wherein this vantage point is to one side ofthe coating apparatus 102.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view looking at the lower return run 214 of theintake conveyor 210, showing (1) not only a spherical spray nozzle 164in accordance with the invention mounted in a fixed position on aninterior sidewall 166 of the coating apparatus 102, (2) but also arotary frame 168 of two spaced parallel manifold tubes 172 in accordancewith the invention that rotate about a common axis 174 between the twotubes 172.

This rotary frame 168 might be alternatively referred to as a barrelturbine 168 and the tubes 172 might be alternatively referred to asvanes 172.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view looking at the upper food-product carryingrun 232 of the outflow conveyor 230, and showing a rotary frame 168comparable to in FIG. 7 which has two spaced parallel manifold tubes 172that rotate about a common axis 174 between the two tubes 172, shownduring a wash operation.

FIG. 9 is looking at where the lower return run 214 of the intakeconveyor 210 extends under a portion of the lower return run 234 of theoutflow conveyor 230 proximate the receiving end 236 (not shown in theview, but see FIG. 8). Thus FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a tubular(cylindrical) rotary manifold 176 in accordance with the invention. Sucha tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold 176 was shown previously inFIGS. 2-4. The tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold 176 is providedwith multiple ports or nozzles 134 distributed at spaced locations onits outer sidewall 182 (eg., skin), and as shown during (or perhaps justafter) a wash operation.

Wherein above it was mentioned in connection with FIG. 4 that,preferably the nozzles 134 are not static but can be driven in somemotion. More accurately, the tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold 176is driven in rotary or oscillating motion by CPU controlled positioningmeans.

FIG. 10 is an isometric view comparable to FIG. 9 except from a shiftedviewpoint and wherein the outflow conveyor 230 is no longer in view,having likely been elevated up and out of the view. FIG. 10 again showsthe tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold 176 in accordance with theinvention with multiple ports or nozzles 134 distributed at spacedlocations on its outer sidewall 182 (eg., skin), and as definitely shownduring a wash operation.

FIG. 11 is an isometric view looking at the intake end 216 of intakeconveyor 210 shown with a series of columnar pickets 184 in accordancewith the invention aimed at the intake end 216 and the nose roller 252therefor. Each columnar picket 184 has a column 186 carrying a sphericalspray nozzle 164 in accordance with the invention like in FIG. 7, whichspherical spray nozzle 164 might optionally have flat-spray apertures188 and/or be rotary or oscillating.

FIG. 12 is an isometric view looking into the interior of the coatingapparatus 102, and looking down the outflow conveyor 230 to where itsreceiving end 236 receives coated food-product from the discharge end218 of the inflow conveyor. The interior sidewall 166 of the machine 102is provided with a spherical spray nozzle 164 in accordance with theinvention like in FIGS. 7 and 11. The spherical spray nozzle 164 here ismounted again on a column 186, mounted on the interior sidewall 166 ofthe coating apparatus 102 above upper food-product carrying run 232 ofthe outflow conveyor 230, proximate where the transfer of coated foodproduct takes place proximate the discharge end 218 of the outflowconveyor 201 and receiving end 236 of the outflow conveyor 230. Thespherical-spray nozzle 164 might optionally have flat-spray apertures188 and/or be rotary or oscillating.

FIG. 13 is an isometric view looking up and to the right relative FIG.11, and showing spherical spray nozzle 164 in accordance with theinvention like in FIGS. 7, 11 and 12, mounted in an interior sidewall166 of the coating apparatus 102 above an elevator conveyor 194 in thecoating material recirculation system 196 which flanks the intakeconveyor 210, and which spherical spray nozzle 164 might optionally haveflat-spray apertures 188 and/or be rotary or oscillating.

These and other aspects and objects are provided according to theinvention in accordance with the following exemplary, non-limitingcharacterizations.

That is, in accordance with a first characterization of an improvementfor food process-line 100 coating apparatus 102 for coating 108 a streamof food product, said food process-line coating apparatus 102 can becharacterized by having:

an intake 210 conveyor having an upper food-product carrying run 212 anda lower return run 214, and extending between an intake end 216 forintake of a food product stream from upline processes 204 in said foodprocess-line 100 and a discharge end 218 for discharge of the foodproduct stream either to a direct destination 230 or 230′ within saidcoating apparatus 102 or else to downline processes 206;

an overhead coating material dispenser 250 for dispensing coatingmaterial 108 on underpassing food product on the upper food-productcarrying run 212 of the intake conveyor 210; and

an outflow conveyor 230 having an upper food-product carrying run 232and a lower return run 234, and extending between a receiving end 236for receipt of a food product stream from a source 210 within saidcoating apparatus 102 and a discharge end 238 for discharge of the foodproduct stream to a downline process 206 in said food-process line 100;

said improvement comprising:

a permanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit 130 and aplurality cleaning-fluid distribution devices 140 comprising one of:

a rotary spray head 152;

a spherical spray nozzle 164;

a rotary frame 168; or

tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold 176;

whereby during run operations the permanently-installed internalcleaning-fluid circuit 130 and the plurality cleaning-fluid distributiondevices 140 are turned OFF (eg., 128 and/or 264), but during down timethe permanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit 130 and theplurality cleaning-fluid distribution devices 140 are switched ON (eg.,128 and/or 264).

In accordance with a second characterization, the improvement inaccordance with a first characterization can be further characterizedby, wherein:

the rotary spray head 152 further comprises being provisioned with amultitude of flat spray nozzles 154 mounted along the arms 156 from hub158 to the outboard ends 162 thereof.

In accordance with a third characterization, the improvement inaccordance with a first characterization can be further characterizedby, wherein:

the spherical spray nozzle 164 further comprises a columnar base 186;

wherein a plurality 184 of columnar bases 186 and spherically spraynozzles 164 are arranged in a picket 184 and aimed at some selectlaterally-extending target 252 in said food process-line 100 coatingapparatus 102.

In accordance with a fourth characterization, the improvement inaccordance with a third characterization can be further characterizedby, wherein:

the target 252 comprises a laterally-extending nose roller 252 for aconveyor belt (eg., 210 or 230).

In accordance with a fifth characterization, the improvement inaccordance with a first characterization can be further characterizedby, wherein:

the rotary frame 168 further comprises a spaced pair of parallelmanifold tubes 172 that rotate about a common axis 174 between the twotubes 172.

In accordance with a sixth characterization, the improvement inaccordance with a first characterization can be further characterizedby, wherein:

the tubular (cylindrical) rotary manifold 176 further comprises multipleports or nozzles 134 distributed at spaced locations on its outersidewall 182.

In brief, food process-line 100 coating apparatus 102 for coating 108 astream of food product in a food process line 100 are provided with theimprovement of a permanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit130 and a plurality cleaning-fluid distribution devices 140 (eg., 152,164, 168, 176, 184). The cleaning-fluid distribution devices 140 (eg.,152, 164, 168, 176, 184) are any of a rotary spray head 152, a sphericalspray nozzle 164, a rotary frame 168 or a tubular (cylindrical) rotarymanifold 176. The rotary spray head 152 optionally has a multitude offlat spray nozzles 154 mounted along the arms 156. The spherical spraynozzle 164 might be mounted on a columnar base 186, and a plurality 184of those might stand like pickets 184 and aimed at a laterally-extendingtarget 252, like a nose roller 252 of a conveyor belt (eg., 210 or 230).The rotary frame 168 might have a spaced pair of parallel manifold tubes172 that rotate about a common axis 174. The tubular (cylindrical)rotary manifold 176 preferably has a multitude of ports or nozzles 134distributed at spaced locations on its outer sidewall 182.

The invention having been disclosed in connection with the foregoingvariations and examples, additional variations will now be apparent topersons skilled in the art. The invention is not intended to be limitedto the variations specifically mentioned, and accordingly referenceshould be made to the appended claims rather than the foregoingdiscussion of preferred examples, to assess the scope of the inventionin which exclusive rights are claimed.

1. An improvement for a food process-line coating apparatus in anautomatic mechanized food-process line and which food process-linecoating apparatus provides service for coating a stream of food productwith a dry-particulate coating material between an upline process and adownline process in said automatic mechanized food-process line, saidfood process-line coating apparatus comprising: an intake conveyorhaving an upper food-product carrying run and a lower return run, andextending between an intake end for intake of a food product stream fromupline processes in said food process-line and a discharge end fordischarge of the food product stream either to a direct destinationwithin said coating apparatus or else to downline processes; an overheadcoating material dispenser for dispensing coating material onunderpassing food product on the food-product carrying run of the intakeconveyor; and an outflow conveyor having an upper food-product carryingrun and a lower return run, and extending between a receiving end forreceipt of a food product stream from a source within said coatingapparatus and a discharge end for discharge of the food product streamto a downline process in said food-process line; said improvementcomprising: a permanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit anda plurality cleaning-fluid distribution devices comprising one fluiddistribution device selected from a selection of: a rotary spray head; aspherical spray nozzle; a rotary frame; or a tubular rotary manifold;and another fluid distribution device selected from the selection of,but different from the one fluid distribution device: a rotary sprayhead; a spherical spray nozzle; a rotary frame; or a tubular rotarymanifold; whereby during coating operations when the food product streamis being conveyed from the intake end of the intake conveyor to thedischarge end of the outflow conveyor and being coated by coatingmaterial, the permanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit andthe plurality cleaning-fluid distribution devices are in an off state;but after coating operations and the food product stream is no longerpassing onto the intake end of the intake conveyor, thepermanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and the pluralitycleaning-fluid distribution devices are available for cleaningoperations such that under a given control instruction thepermanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and the pluralitycleaning-fluid distribution devices switch to a cleaning-operationstate.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein: the rotary spray headcomprises a hub and at least two elongated arms extending from the hubto respective outboard ends; and the rotary spray head further comprisesbeing provisioned with a multitude of flat spray nozzles mounted alongthe arms from the hub to the outboard ends thereof.
 3. The improvementof claim 1 wherein: the spherical spray nozzle further comprises acolumnar base; wherein a plurality of columnar bases and sphericallyspray nozzles are arranged in a picket and aimed at some selectlaterally-extending target in said food process-line coating apparatus.4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein: the target comprises alaterally-extending nose roller for a conveyor belt.
 5. The improvementof claim 1 wherein: the rotary frame further comprises a spaced pair ofparallel manifold tubes that rotate about a common axis between the twotubes.
 6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein: the tubular rotarymanifold further comprises an outer sidewall and multiple ports ornozzles distributed at spaced locations on the outer sidewall.
 7. Theimprovement of claim 1 wherein: the food process-line coating apparatusfurther comprises a hood positionable between at least two statescomprising a closed state for coating operations and an open state forcleaning operations.
 8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein: the one of:the rotary spray head; the spherical spray nozzle; the rotary frame; orthe tubular rotary manifold; is mounted to the hood that is positionablebetween at least two states comprising a closed state for coatingoperations and an open state for cleaning operations.
 9. The improvementof claim 1 wherein: the source within said coating apparatus is eitherdischarge end of the intake conveyor or else an other direct destinationwithin said coating apparatus.
 10. An improvement for a foodprocess-line coating apparatus in an automatic mechanized food-processline and which food process-line coating apparatus provides service forcoating a stream of food product with coating material between an uplineprocess in said automatic mechanized food-process line and a downlineprocess in said automatic mechanized food-process line; said foodprocess-line coating apparatus comprising: laterally-spaced interiorsidewalls; an intake conveyor belt positioned between thelaterally-spaced interior sidewalls and having an upper food-productcarrying run as well as a lower return run; the intake conveyor belt'supper food-product carrying run extending between an intake end forintake of a food product stream from upline processes in said foodprocess-line and a discharge end for discharge of the food productstream either to a direct destination within said coating apparatus orelse to a downline process in said food-process line; said foodprocess-line coating apparatus further comprising a plurality of beltnose rollers for the intake conveyor belt including alaterally-extending, intake-conveyor-belt intake-end nose roller servingthe intake end of the upper food-product carrying run of the intakeconveyor belt, and, a laterally-extending, intake-conveyor-beltdischarge-end nose roller serving the discharge end of the upperfood-product carrying run of the intake conveyor belt; an outflowconveyor belt positioned between the laterally-space interior sidewallsand having an upper food-product carrying run as well as a lower returnrun; the outflow conveyor belt's upper food-product carrying runextending between a receiving end for receipt of the food product streamfrom a source within said coating apparatus and a discharge end fordischarge of the food product stream to a downline process in saidfood-process line; said food process-line coating apparatus furthercomprising a plurality of belt nose rollers for the outflow conveyorbelt including a laterally-extending, outflow-conveyor-beltreceiving-end nose roller serving the receiving end of the upperfood-product carrying run of the outflow conveyor belt, and, alaterally-extending, outflow-conveyor-belt discharge-end nose rollerserving the discharge end of the upper food-product carrying run of theoutflow conveyor belt; said improvement comprising: apermanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and at least onelaterally-extending cleaning-fluid distribution device positionedbetween the laterally-spaced interior sidewalls of said foodprocess-line coating apparatus and aimed at any of thelaterally-extending nose rollers for any of the conveyor belts of saidfood process-line coating apparatus; whereby during coating operationswhen the food product stream is being conveyed from the intake end ofthe intake conveyor belt to the discharge end of the outflow conveyorbelt and being coated by coating material, the permanently-installedinternal cleaning-fluid circuit and the at least one laterally-extendingcleaning-fluid distribution devices is in an off state; but aftercoating operations and the food product stream is no longer passing ontothe intake end of the intake conveyor belt, the permanently-installedinternal cleaning-fluid circuit and the at least one laterally-extendingcleaning-fluid distribution device is available for cleaning operationssuch that under a given control instruction the permanently-installedinternal cleaning-fluid circuit and the at least one laterally-extendingcleaning-fluid distribution device switch to a cleaning-operation state.11. The improvement of claim 10 wherein: the at least onelaterally-extending cleaning-fluid distribution device comprising atleast a selected one of: plurality of spherical spray nozzles arrangedin a laterally-extending picket; a rotary frame; or a tubular rotarymanifold;
 12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein: said improvementfurther comprising: at least one other laterally-extendingcleaning-fluid distribution device positioned between thelaterally-spaced interior sidewalls said food process-line coatingapparatus and aimed at least one other of any of the laterally-extendingnose rollers for any of the conveyor belts of said food process-linecoating apparatus; the at least one other laterally-extendingcleaning-fluid distribution device comprising a selected other of, butdifferent from the selected one laterally-extending cleaning-fluiddistribution device: plurality of spherical spray nozzles arranged in alaterally-extending picket; a rotary frame; or a tubular rotarymanifold.
 13. The improvement of claim 11 wherein: one or more of thespherical spray nozzles arranged in any of the laterally-extendingpickets further comprises a columnar base.
 14. The improvement of claim11 wherein: the rotary frame further comprises a spaced pair of parallelmanifold tubes that rotate about a common axis between the two tubes.15. The improvement of claim 11 wherein: the tubular rotary manifoldfurther comprises an outer sidewall and multiple ports or nozzlesdistributed at spaced locations on the outer sidewall.
 16. Theimprovement of claim 10 wherein: the source within said coatingapparatus is either discharge end of the intake conveyor or else another direct destination within said coating apparatus.
 17. Animprovement for a food process-line coating apparatus in an automaticmechanized food-process line and which food process-line coatingapparatus provides service for coating a stream of food product withcoating material between an upline process in said automatic mechanizedfood-process line and a downline process in said automatic mechanizedfood-process line; said food process-line coating apparatus comprising:laterally-spaced interior sidewalls; an intake conveyor belt positionedbetween the laterally-spaced interior sidewalls and having an upperfood-product carrying run as well as a lower return run; the intakeconveyor belt's upper food-product carrying run extending between anintake end for intake of a food product stream from upline processes insaid food process-line and a discharge end for discharge of the foodproduct stream either to a direct destination within said coatingapparatus or else to a downline process in said food-process line; anoutflow conveyor belt positioned between the laterally-space interiorsidewalls and having an upper food-product carrying run as well as alower return run; the outflow conveyor belt's upper food-productcarrying run extending between a receiving end for receipt of the foodproduct stream from a source within said coating apparatus and adischarge end for discharge of the food product stream to a downlineprocess in said food-process line; the food process-line coatingapparatus further comprises a hood positionable between at least twostates comprising a closed state for coating operations and an openstate for cleaning operations. said improvement comprising: apermanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and a plurality ofcleaning-fluid distribution devices; the plurality of cleaning-fluiddistribution device comprising at least of one of: a rotary spray head;a spherical spray nozzle; a rotary frame; or a tubular rotary manifold;mounted on a sidewall; and said improvement further comprising: theplurality of cleaning-fluid distribution device further comprising atleast of one of: a rotary spray head; a spherical spray nozzle; a rotaryframe; or a tubular rotary manifold; mounted on a hood; whereby duringcoating operations when the food product stream is being conveyed fromthe intake end of the intake conveyor belt to the discharge end of theoutflow conveyor belt and being coated by coating material, thepermanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and the at leastone laterally-extending cleaning-fluid distribution devices is in an offstate; but after coating operations and the food product stream is nolonger passing onto the intake end of the intake conveyor belt, thepermanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and the at leastone laterally-extending cleaning-fluid distribution device is availablefor cleaning operations such that under a given control instruction thepermanently-installed internal cleaning-fluid circuit and the at leastone laterally-extending cleaning-fluid distribution device switch to acleaning-operation state.
 18. The improvement of claim 17, furthercomprising: an overhead particulate-coating material dispenser fordispensing particulate-coating material on underpassing food product onthe food-product carrying run of the intake conveyor; and a coatingmaterial recirculation system comprising an elevator conveyor whichflanks either the intake conveyor or outflow conveyor, whereby theelevator conveyor recirculates particulate-coating material such as anyof seasoned flour, spices, or Panko crumb from elevations inside saidcoating apparatus below the overhead particulate-coating materialdispenser up to the overhead particulate-coating material dispenser. 19.The improvement of claim 18, further comprising: the plurality ofcleaning-fluid distribution device comprising at least of a further oneof: a rotary spray head; a spherical spray nozzle; a rotary frame; or atubular rotary manifold; mounted on a sidewall and within proximity tothe elevator conveyor to distribute cleaning fluid on the elevatorconveyor.
 20. The improvement of claim 17 wherein: the source withinsaid coating apparatus is either discharge end of the intake conveyor orelse an other direct destination within said coating apparatus.